Regarding the source

"The bloodline of Lac Hong, four thousand years/ The bright red blood flows in our hearts/ The Lac Hong lineage, the lineage of Dragons and Fairies/ We vow to embrace our motherland for generations…". The lyrics of the song “The Bloodline of Lac Hong” resonate throughout the Nghia Linh mountains and forests like a call to arms, urging the children of all corners of the country to immerse themselves in the solemn and tranquil atmosphere of this sacred ancestral land, to bow their heads in gratitude for the merits of their ancestors who built the nation… For this is the day when “No matter where one goes, remember the Ancestor Commemoration Day on the tenth day of the third lunar month.”

Passing through the land of legends

Returning to Hung Temple in Phu Tho is like returning to a land of legends. Climbing each step, like a "door" opening the way back through time, and traversing 225 stone steps along the mountainside, we arrived at the Lower Temple – where Mother Au Co gave birth to a hundred eggs, from which 100 children hatched. Legend says that because Father Lac Long Quan was of dragon lineage and could not live on land, when his children grew up, he and Mother Au Co divided them to expand the territory. 50 children followed their father towards the sea, and 50 followed their mother towards the mountains. Along their long journey, Mother Au Co and her children reached Hien Luong village, Ha Hoa district, Son Tay province, clearing land and establishing a settlement, teaching the people to cultivate rice, grow mulberry trees, raise silkworms, and weave cloth. The eldest son remained to inherit the throne from his father and established the Van Lang State - the first state of the Vietnamese people, with its capital in Phong Chau. Eighteen generations of Hung Kings ruled the country for 2621 years (from the year 2879 BC to 258 BC)...

The "Legend of Hung Kings" recounts: "In ancient times, the King traveled far and wide but could not choose a suitable place to establish his capital. He came to a region where three rivers converged, flanked by Tan Vien and Tam Dao mountains, with hills and mountains near and far, winding streams and ravines. The landscape resembled a crouching tiger, a dragon bowing, a general shooting a crossbow, and a galloping phoenix. Amidst these lush green hills, a mountain suddenly rose up like a mother elephant lying among her calves. The King ascended the mountain and looked in all directions, seeing three sides of alluvial deposits, and all four sides covered with green trees, fresh flowers, and sweet grass. The land was both undulating and winding, wide and flat, narrow and deep. The King rejoiced, praising it as a land suitable for all people, strategically advantageous for defense, with a stable foundation, capable of establishing a nation for generations to come. King Hung established his capital there, naming it Phong Chau Citadel. This citadel stretched from the confluence of the Bach Hac River to the areas around Nghia Linh Mountain..." This is the area of ​​present-day Viet Tri City.

Procession of palanquins to Hung Temple. Photo: Phuong Thanh

Among the millions of people returning to the ancestral land these days, there are elderly people of advanced age who still travel hundreds of kilometers to make a pilgrimage to Nghia Linh mountain to offer incense before the ancestral altar. Ms. Pham Thi Thong (75 years old, from Thanh Hoa ) emotionally shared: "After nearly 35 years returning here, I am very surprised by the changes in the Hung Temple historical site. The scenery here is much more beautiful. In particular, the roads leading to the temples have been improved and are easier to navigate. Even at my age, I can still reach the Upper Temple to light incense and show my respect to our ancestors."

Aware of the responsibility of representing the entire nation in overseeing the ancestral shrines and offering incense and prayers to the ancestors in the ancestral land, Phu Tho province has, over the years, organized the Hung Kings' Commemoration Day and the Ancestral Land Culture and Tourism Week in 2025 with great solemnity and reverence, becoming a model festival, dignified and deeply rooted in national identity. Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee Nguyen Huy Ngoc - Head of the Organizing Committee for the Hung Kings' Commemoration Day and the Ancestral Land Culture and Tourism Week 2025 - informed: This year's Hung Kings' Temple Festival is linked to the Ancestral Land Culture and Tourism Week, taking place from April 9th ​​to 18th (corresponding to the 1st to 10th day of the 3rd lunar month) at the Hung Kings' Temple Historical Site (Viet Tri City) and in districts, towns, and cities throughout the province.

The highlight of this year's festival season is the opening art program of the Ancestral Land Culture and Tourism Week, themed "Echoes of the Roots," taking place on the evening of March 1st (Lunar Calendar) at Hung Vuong Square. From March 1st to March 9th (Lunar Calendar), Van Lang Park will become a vibrant cultural space with a series of nighttime art programs for the people and tourists. In particular, on the evening of March 9th (Lunar Calendar), there will be a high-altitude fireworks display over Van Lang Park lake, creating a dazzling highlight to conclude the colorful series of artistic activities.

Besides cultural activities, this year's festival also features many sports events, creating a vibrant and meaningful playground, including: the Phu Tho "Remembering the Source" Golf Tournament 2025, the Martial Arts Festival focusing on the roots, the "Returning to the Source" Marathon 2025...

The era of transformation has arrived.

The Hung Kings era has left behind a wealth of cultural sediment. Even today, these sediments of that sacred place are still evident, like the resounding "bronze drums echoing through the mountains and rivers, stirring up heroic thunder" (in the words of Professor Vu Khieu), and truly serve as a solid foundation for Phu Tho to confidently and wholeheartedly build a prosperous homeland and a strong nation...

With an open mindset, and in line with the rest of the country, building on the achievements of previous years, Phu Tho's socio-economic landscape in 2024 is marked by many bright colors. Economic growth is among the leading in the country and the Northern Midlands and Mountains region, with an estimated growth rate of 9.53%, the highest in the past 15 years (from 2011 to present), placing it among the top 10 out of 63 localities with the highest growth rates nationwide. The economic scale reached 109.2 trillion VND, an increase of over 11 trillion VND compared to 2023 (ranking 35th out of 63 provinces and cities nationwide; 3rd out of 14 provinces in the region)... All sectors and economic pillars are thriving, and many important indicators continue to set impressive figures. The socio-cultural landscape reflects the rich cultural identity of the ancestral land...

As General Secretary To Lam affirmed: "The beginning of a new era is the 14th National Congress of the Party. From here, all Vietnamese people, hundreds of millions of them as one, under the leadership of the Party, will unite in solidarity, work together wholeheartedly, seize the most opportunities and advantages, overcome risks and challenges, and lead the country to comprehensive, strong, breakthrough, and take off development."

The year 2025 is considered a year of special significance, being the final year of the term and the five-year plan (2020-2025); it is also the year of holding Party Congresses at all levels leading up to the 14th National Congress of the Party… To realize the set goals, the Party Committee, government, and people of all ethnic groups in Phu Tho province are united, continuing the glorious revolutionary traditions of their homeland, promoting their intelligence, courage, self-reliance, and self-improvement, working together to strive to complete and exceed the 2025 plan, aiming to build Phu Tho into a leading developed province in the northern midland and mountainous region, steadily moving forward with the whole country into a new era, an era of national progress.

In particular, Phu Tho continues to seriously and effectively implement directives, plans, and schemes for streamlining the organizational structure of the political system, in conjunction with restructuring and improving the quality of cadres, civil servants, and public employees to ensure they possess the necessary qualities and capabilities, are up to the task, meet the requirements of the new era, and are in line with the actual situation…

In particular, the solid foundation for the province to enter a new phase with a new appearance is the comprehensive development of socio-economic sectors and the consolidation and maintenance of national defense and security, ensuring social order and safety. Therefore, the province continues to focus on decisively implementing breakthroughs to significantly improve the investment and business environment. This includes enhancing the effectiveness of investment promotion, selecting investors with sufficient capacity and experience to implement projects; and accelerating administrative reforms to create a transparent and attractive investment and business environment.

Promote the application of science and technology, develop the digital economy, green economy, and circular economy. Improve the quality of cultural and social activities; improve the material and spiritual lives of the people; pay attention to job creation; and effectively implement social security policies. Continue implementing the project to develop Viet Tri into a festival city that connects with the roots of the Vietnamese nation; research and develop a project on the development of culture and people of Phu Tho province for the period 2025-2030, creating a clear transformation in the quality of cultural activities and a positive image of Phu Tho province and its people in the hearts of domestic and international friends.

LILY

Source: https://daibieunhandan.vn/ve-nguon-post409463.html